Axle temperature monitor

Abstract

A method of monitoring the temperature of an axle includes the steps of reading temperatures from an axle of a vehicle, comparing the read temperatures with expected temperatures, and sending warning signals when necessary. A temperature sensor may be used to read temperatures of the axle and send temperature signals to a control to perform computations and compare the computations with expected temperatures. Furthermore, the control may send warning signals to a display to indicate that a problem may exist.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of monitoring temperatures of an axle to determine if the axle is experiencing a problem, the method comprising: 
       a. reading a plurality of temperatures of the axle taken over period of time;  
       b. comparing said read temperatures with an expected temperature information of said axle wherein said expected temperature information includes a threshold temperature, a threshold number, a threshold mean temperature, a threshold standard deviation, a threshold moving average, and a threshold peak temperature of said axle; and  
       c. if said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature, then indicating said axle is experiencing a problem.  
     
     
       2. A method as in claim  1 , wherein said indicating of step c relates to a display in a vehicle cab. 
     
     
       3. A method as recited in claim  1 , wherein said step of reading further includes: 
       storing temperature signals representing said read temperatures; and  
       retrieving said stored temperature signals.  
     
     
       4. A method of motoring temperatures of an axle to determine if the axle is experiencing a problem, the method comprising: 
       a. reading a plurality of temperatures of the axle;  
       b. counting the number of times a threshold temperature is reached by said read temperatures; comparing the number of times said threshold temperature is reached with a threshold number; if the number of times said threshold temperature is reached is greater than said threshold number, then setting a first warning; and  
       c. if said read temperatures differ from an expected temperature information, then indicating said axle is experiencing a problem.  
     
     
       5. A method as recited in claim  4 , further including the steps of: 
       f. calculating a mean temperature of said read temperatures;  
       g. comparing said mean temperature to a threshold mean temperature;  
       if said mean temperature is greater than said threshold mean temperature, then:  
       determining whether said first warning is set;  
       if said first warning is set, setting a second warning.  
     
     
       6. A method as recited in claim  5 , further including the steps of: 
       h. calculating a standard deviation of said read temperatures;  
       i. comparing said standard deviation of said read temperatures with a threshold standard deviation;  
       if said standard deviation is greater than said threshold standard deviation, then setting a third warning.  
     
     
       7. A method as recited in claim  6 , further including the steps of: 
       j. calculating a moving average of said read temperatures;  
       k. comparing said moving average of said read temperatures with a threshold moving average;  
       if said moving average is greater than said threshold moving average, then:  
       determining whether said first warning is set;  
       it said first warning is set, then setting a fourth warning.  
     
     
       8. A method as recited in claim  7 , further including the steps of: 
       l. determining a peak temperature from said read temperatures;  
       m. comparing said peak temperature with a threshold peak temperature;  
       if said peak temperature is greater than said threshold peak temperature, then:  
       determining whether said first warning is set;  
       if said first warning is set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information;  
       if said first warning is not set, then:  
       determining whether said third warning is set;  
       if said third warning is set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information;  
       determining whether said second warning is set;  
       if said second warning is set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information;  
       if said second warning is not set, then:  
       determining whether said fourth warning is set;  
       if said fourth warning is set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information; and  
       n. determining whether any warning is set; if both first and third warnings are set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information;  
       if both second and fourth warnings are set, then signaling said read temperatures differ form said expected temperature information.  
     
     
       9. A method of monitoring temperatures of an axle to determine if the axle is experiencing a problem, the method comprising: 
       a. reading a plurality of temperatures;  
       b. comparing said read temperatures with an expected temperature information of said axle; and  
       c. if said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information, then determining a number of differences between said read temperatures and said expected temperature information, and indicating said axle is experiencing a problem which is a low oil problem or a physical damage problem; wherein said read temperatures are monitored and used to discriminate between the low oil problem and the physical damage problem.  
     
     
       10. A method as recited in claim  9 , wherein said method includes the steps of identifying the range of read temperatures, and making the determination of whether the problem is a low oil problem or a damage problem at least in part by reviewing the standard deviation of the read temperatures. 
     
     
       11. A method as recited in claim  9 , wherein the comparing step includes defining a threshold number of occurrences within a predetermined period of time, and eliminating read temperatures which differ from said expected temperature information if said number of differences does not exceed the threshold number within a predetermined period of time to eliminate an anomaly being used as an indication of the problem.